Finders Keepers
by pikachu13
Summary: Two orphan Autobot siblings are captured and taken aboard the Nemesis. The sister escapes and hopes to discover the Decepticon's plan, but crosses paths with an over-energized Second-in-Command. Many thanks to optimus prime 007 for help in naming my hero!


**Finders Keepers**

A hot, unforgiving wind whipped across the barren wasteland where the great city of Iacon once stood. It used to be Cybertron's crown jewel of a city, now it was no less than a glimmer of its former beauty. The Autobots weren't prepared for the onslaught of Decepticon Aerial fleets when they flew overhead and leveled the city to the ground with their heavy artillery. Only a few structures managed to withstand the attack, but many builings and homes were destroyed…mostly homes. Little did the unprepared inhabitants of Cybertron realize that from this point on, only more devastation was to follow, and ultimately…death.

On the outskirts of the city, a young adult mech approached the destruction. His armor was mostly tan-colored, and it blended in well with his current surroundings. His shoulders were broad, and his face was very angular and pointed.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from behind the stalwart mech, but he did not turn. He heard them come closer, but did nothing. He had already recognized the energy signature of the intruder. It was that of his sister, Ramia.

She was a petite femme, most of her armor was a brilliant white, almost opal if you looked at it closely enough. She had a very innocent look about her, and a delicate pair of pale blue optics. When she reached her brother's side and saw what he saw, her hands immediately clasped over her mouth, drowning out her gasp. After coming to grips with reality, her two slender arms then wrapped around one of his. He sighed as the young femme leaned her head on his shoulder, her eyes filling with tears.

"I can't believe Iacon is gone! Everyone and everything we've ever loved is GONE!" She scorned, her voice broken.

Then she tilted her head up to meet her brother's optics. "Hawkeye, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Ramia." He replied, pulling his younger sister closer to him. Not looking at her, but continuing to survey his surroundings.

"I wish I knew why Megatron would resort to this much violence. There must be something important, something of value that he seeks. He is well known for his thirst for power, maybe the Council is hiding something from him."

As he pondered this, a low hum from above signified that a Decepticon patrol vessel was approaching. Hawkeye quickly wrapped his arms around his sister's waist and pulled her to the ground and rolled under a nearby piece of rubble from a fallen building before it was able to blanket them with their scanners. It came very low, kicking up sand as it passed over them. Once the roar of the engines dissipated, they came out from underneath their hiding place.

"What was that?" The white femme asked as she got to her feet and dusted herself off.

"A Decepticon patrol ship. They're probably looking for stray Autobots to use for target practice. We'd better find shelter before they circle around." Hawkeye noted, as he too got to his feet.

He then reached for his blaster and adjusted it to its maximum setting, to protect them should they be ambushed or attacked by any hostiles. Just then a purple and black blur appeared behind the unaware Autobot. It materialized and instantly became a recognizable figure, a Decepticon. The larger mech clamped his strong arms over the chest of younger mech, pinning his arms to his sides and began to squeeze.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Skywarp taunted. Hawkeye grunted in pain.

Ramia looked up and screamed as she saw the Decepticon seeker constricting her older brother. Hawkeye dropped his blaster and kicked it towards his sister.

"Ramia! Grab it!"

In a total panic, she dove for it, but before she could pick it up, a foot came crashing down on it, reducing it to scrap. She nervously craned her head up only to see the red optics of Megatron's Second-in-Command, Starscream. He loomed over her, with both his hands on his hips.

She immediately got to her feet and backed away from him, only to bump into the waiting chest of Thundercracker, who was standing right behind her. He enveloped his arms around the femme like a spider to its prey and chuckled internally, his deep voice then vibrated through the both of them as he addressed his Commander.

"See Screamer? I told you I heard something!"

"Shut up, you idiot! Now, let's see who's side they're on." Starscream snapped, walking toward the femme first.

He reached out and grabbed her neck. He tilted her head left and right, but couldn't find any insignia on her faceplates. Then his optics rolled down to inspect the rest of her. The femme's white armor was still partially covered in soil, but a particular area seemed to have more dirt than the rest. It was her chest. Starscream noticed this area and used his hand and slowly wiped the dirt away, to reveal a red Autobot insignia.

Hawkeye watched the Decepticon scum touching his sister, and felt his internal temperature rise in anger when he noticed the Air Commander's hand was still on her chest, no doubt enjoying the feeling of her spark pulsing furiously beneath his hand.

"So, you're an Autobot...that's most unfortunate." Starscream noted, using a tone he hoped would frighten the femme. "Do you know what we do to Autobots?"

She nervously looked up at the Decepticon, then suddenly remembering the current state of her city, made her not want to answer him.

"No? Then I guess you'll soon find out!" He laughed.

Then he placed one of his fingers underneath her chin and brought her face closer to his. She immediately closed her optics so she wouldn't see the leer of pleasure on his faceplates.

"Hmmm...such a pretty femme." He spoke softly.

The sound of his voice so close made her to tremble internally with fear. Hawkeye, having a strong bond with his sister, felt her fear and instantly reacted.

"Get your hands off my sister!" Hawkeye bellowed, lunging forward slightly, making Skywarp hold him even tighter.

Starscream slowly turned towards him and immediately figured out the brothers' faction as well.

"So...two Autobots huh? And how cute, brother and sister!" He coddled.

Hawkeye watched as the Air Commander's gaze then returned to his sister and did not falter. He knew this gaze well, for he had seen it in the optics of many unworthy mechs that tried to court her over the years. But by the looks of it, he didn't have 'courting' on his mind. The Air Commander continued to feed his optics with the delicate frame of their lovely captive, then he waved his fellow seekers into the air.

"Skywarp! Thundercracker! Let us return to the Nemesis with our prisoners!"

The three Seekers, with their captives in hand, then flew off for the Decepticon command ship.

The two siblings knew that their current situation would certainly bring their demise. Both were scared, but Hawkeye was more concerned about his sister's safety than his own. He desperately searched his cerebral processor for a way to get his sister safely off the ship before the older mechs could get their hands on her and possibly do her harm. Hawkeye hurried his thoughts, but the brig was coming up too fast and before he could plan an escape, they were already nearing their cells.

Hawkeye was thrown face first into his cell by Skywarp, then watched helplessly as his sister was forced into the cell across the way from his. Hawkeye eyed the Con with vengeance, wishing he was free so he could tear the seeker apart. Thundercracker was getting annoyed by her resistance and pushed her into the cell so hard, she fell forward and landed on her hands and knees.

"Get in there!" Thundercracker huffed.

Hawkeye couldn't take it anymore. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" He shouted.

Starscream slowly turned towards the young mech.

"SHUT UP! Autobot scum!" He snapped as he fired a null ray blast through the cell bars, hitting him directly in his chest.

He flew backwards and slammed into the back of his cell from the strength of the blast. He was knocked out cold.

"Hawkeye!" The femme shrieked.

Starscream lowered his smoking weapon. "That'll keep him quiet for awhile."

Then he turned back towards the trembling femme.

"And as for you…I'll be back for you later." Starscream said with a malicious grin before he turned and led his fellow seekers out of the brig.

Once they were gone, Ramia desperately called for her brother to get up, but his body didn't stir.

Suddenly a male voice began to speak out of nowhere. "Don't worry. He's just knocked out. He should be coming to in a little while."

Ramia froze. She thought she was alone in that cell, but she wasn't! Alarmed, she replied to the darkness.

"Who said that?"

"I did."

Ramia almost fritzed when she realized the voice that just spoke was coming from the other corner of her cell. The dark figure then got to his feet and started to approach her.

Expecting the worst, she retreated into the opposite corner and covered her head with her hands.

"Don't come any closer!"

"Hey relax, I ain't gonna hurt ya." The black mech smiled, stopping his advance.

Ramia looked cautiously at the young seeker. He was about her brother's age, with a handsome face, a slender-looking body and two impressive-looking wings spanning his back. His red optics didn't mesh well with his innocent smile. They made him look sort of…out of place. As her optics continued to study his form, they fell upon the purple Decepticon insignia on his shoulder.

"Y-you're a Decepticon! You're one of them! Why are YOU in a holding cell?"

"Well…if you must know, I showed mercy to one of your kind on the battlefield, and now they named me a traitor."

Not seeing him as a threat anymore, she felt bold enough to ask. "What was your name before that?"

"Shadow."

"Shadow…that's a nice name. Did your creators give it to you?"

"No. My creators abandoned me when I was a sparkling. I gave myself that name. Mostly because I lived in the shadows for most of my life."

"You're an orphan? Hmmm…so are me and my brother." She said solemnly, gazing at the cell across the way.

He then turned his head away from her. "But, now I don't feel my name suits me anymore."

Then he turned his head back towards her with a warm smile on his face. "What's your name?"

"Ramia." She replied, blushing.

He then reached for her wrist, and pulled her to her feet. Again, she began to be fearful of him.

"What are you doing?"

"Ramia, I'm gonna bust you out of here!"

He pulled her towards the corner he emerged from and kicked a panel off the wall revealing an air vent big enough for them to fit through. This was clearly how he must have got in. Ramia then suspiciously eyed the Decepticon.

"You're helping me escape? Why?"

"Why not? I've already saved one Autobot, and that cost me my rank and got me thrown in here so why not save another? It's not like I have anything else left to lose, you know?"

"But what about my brother?" She said as she pointed to the cell across the way.

Shadow paused for a second, then spoke. "I'll come back for him."

"Promise?" She begged as she grabbed him by his hand.

The black seeker looked down at the petite hand holding his. His spark fluttered as he enjoyed her delicate touch. Then he looked into her eyes and put his free hand on top of hers.

"I promise."

He then led her into the vent, and then followed closely behind her.

As they crawled through the drafty tunnels, Ramia suddenly came to a stop. Shadow also abruptly stopped.

"What's the matter? I thought you were in a hurry to get outta here?"

"No. Not yet. I need to find out what the Decepticons are up to. If I can get some useful information to Optimus Prime, maybe we can end this war before it gets any worse!"

Ramia, her mind made up, crawled to the nearest grate and pulled it off. She went feet first through little opening and landed with a thud in a dark empty hallway slightly illuminated with purple lights.

"Ramia, wait!" He whispered. "Someone might see you!"

And as if on queue, heavy footsteps turned the corner and came towards her. From the black sillouette, she could tell it was a seeker. But which one, she couldn't tell. He slightly wobbled as he walked, which gave her the assumption that he was possibly over-energized. This made him even more dangerous. She knew an over-energized mech doesn't always think straight. So she just froze where she stood, hoping it was dark enough that he wouldn't discover her. But when his footsteps halted, she knew she had been seen.

"What the? How did YOU get out of your cell?"

She instantly recognized the voice of the Decepticon. It was the one that had shot her brother.

Starscream shook the haze from his processor. "No matter. I was just on my way down to get you. Megatron has requested your company, but seeing that Megatron isn't here at the moment…" He jestured with his hands around at the empty hallway, "…I'D like to get better aquainted with you...first."

The femme let out a shriek as the seeker wrapped a large hand around her tiny wrist. As a defense mechanism, she concentrated internally, making her white armor start to illuminate. She released a yell as a bright flash emitted from her armorplates, temperarily blinding the Decepticon. He released her and was trying to get the vison back in his optics. Ramia ran in the only other direction she could, but the light from her body soon illuminated the dead end at the end of the corridor. She was trapped. She then put her back to the wall and faced her captor.

Once Starscream got his vision back. He advanced on the femme, only this time grabbing both her wrists. She struggled to get free, but her efforts were futile.

"My…you ARE a piece of work." Starscream slurred as he ogled her frame with his optics.

"Let me go!" She pleaded, trying with all her might to break his grip.

Suddenly, being too over-energized took its toll on the seeker. The mech's legs began to wobble, and then gave out, causing him to topple over and land on top of her. She grunted, trying to do her best to get out from beneath him. But it was nearly impossible. The weight of the much larger mech was crushing her!

Just then, Shadow jumped out from the same vent she had and stood tall.

"Get off her you fragger!"

Starscream focused his blurred vision and made out the figure of the young seeker he had locked in the brig a couple of hours earlier.

"You AGAIN? How many more times do I have to disipline you before you learn, boy!"

"Release her. NOW!" He shouted.

Starscream's optics thinned, and a sneer grew across his faceplates. "So...the traitor shows his true colors! I knew you weren't good enough to be a Decepticon. Regardless who your father is. You're weak!"

Shadow felt an angry fire burning in his chest as he clenched his fists and ran full speed toward the seeker. Using all his might, he kicked him in the face, causing him to fly backwards and hit the wall, hard. Ramia sat up and stared intently into the eyes of her rescuer. The downed seeker quickly rolled over and righted himself, lifting his upper body up by his arms and getting to one knee. He used his wrist to wipe the leaking energon off his chin. The he pointed his null ray directly at Shadow's chest, right where his spark chamber lie.

"For that, you die."

Starscream used all his power to shoot the strongest blast he could. Shadow did his best to try and move before the shot hit him, but was only able to turn a little bit before it pierced the young seeker in his right shoulder.

He grunted in pain, instantly falling to his knees, holding his shoulder to prevent any further energon leakage. He had to think of something quick. One more full strength direct hit from Starscream would certainly extinguish his spark. He knew what he had to do. But would it work? He had never tried it before.

"Well…first time for everything." He thought to himself.

He then lunged for Ramia, wrapping his arms around her.

"What are you doing?!" She shouted.

"Grab onto me!" He commanded.

The vengeful Air Commander began charging his weapon again.

"Why?" Ramia questioned, slightly confused, not knowing what his plan was.

"Just do it! Trust me!"

The femme closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the neck of the young seeker. He concentrated on a certain place and before Starscream was able to fire his shot, The two dissapeared in a blur of black and white.

They re-appeared on a cliff overlooking the docked Nemesis. They released each other and Shadow was extatic.

"I DID IT! I teleported!"

Ramia looked at him and realized who his parents must have been.

"You're…you're Skywarp's son, aren't you?"

He turned towards her and nodded.

"Oh Shado—"

"No." He interrupted her. "I'm not Shadow anymore. I've made my choice. From now on, I'm Lightbringer, and I'm an Autobot."

Ramia worried expression then slowly changed to relieved, and she again threw her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. His hands, slowly followed her lead and wrapped themselves around her tiny waist. He stood there, enjoying the rhythm of her spark pulsing against his chest. But immediately her thoughts returned to that of her brother.

"Lightbringer! My brother! He's still trapped in there! You gotta get him out too!"

A sharp pain then struck his shoulder, it was so strong it brought him to his knees. He hissed in pain.

"I…I don't think I can manage another teleport in my condition…"

"Please Lightbringer! You promised!"

Lightbringer looked into the eyes of the beautiful pleading femme, and knew that no matter what the cost, he had to keep his promise to her.

"Stand back." He told her.

And in a blur of white, he was gone. A few seconds later, he re-appeared in the same spot, with Hawkeye in his arms. He put him down and re-teleported. But as to where his destination, she did not know. Hawkeye was a little shaken, as he had just come around from Starscream's earlier blast, but was relieved when he saw his sister, safe and undamaged.

"Ramia! You're okay!"

The siblings then happily embraced each other, but Ramia was looking around for Lightbringer, but he still did not teleport back.

"Where's Lightbringer?"

Hawkeye looked down into his sister's optics.

"He said he was going to teleport to the Nemesis' medical bay to get supplies so he could fix himself."

"Is he coming back?"

"He didn't say."

Suddenly laser fire started to kick up dirt near their feet on the cliffside where they stood.

"Decepticons! They must've seen us! Let's get out of here!"

"Wait! What about Lightbringer?"

"There's no time! We gotta go! NOW!"

He grabbed his sister's wrist and the made a break for it. They ran down the cliff's backside and eventually managed to get away safely.

Shorty after, they were lucky enough to be discovered by Autobot scouts, who had heard the laser fire and decided to investigate, in hopes of finding survivors. They happily escorted them to their secret underground refuge base.

Later that evening, while Hawkeye searched some crates for extra rations, Ramia stood beside him, her thoughts focused elsewhere.

"What's up sis? Something on your mind?"

"Not something…someone." She said with a wink.

Hawkeye smiled, knowing exactly who she was thinking of. He didn't feel defensive for once, he actually felt that this "Lightbringer" guy would be a worthy enough mech for his dear little sister. As he continued to search the crates, his sister then walked toward a nearby monitor that was showing random video feeds from the destruction outside. Her eyes scanned each image, hoping to see a young black seeker somewhere in them, but they didn't.

"I never got a chance to thank you for saving my brother."

She spoke to the monitor softly, so only she would hear.

"Thank you. And be safe out there, Lightbringer, I hope we meet again soon."

Standing on the remains of a fallen Iaconian temple, a completely opal-white Autobot seeker stood. It was Lightbringer. He figured a change in appearance was in order to fit his new name. He stood proud and tall, his injuries now completely mended. He then spoke softly to the wind.

"Ramia, I know you're out there, somewhere. And I know we'll meet again, someday."


End file.
